Synopsis:

The gestational age at birth in Australia has slowly but steadily declined over the past 30 years, mainly due to increase in planned births (caesarian sections, inductions of labor). The effects of this decline in gestational age to child health are evident at many levels – intensive care, paediatric care, community, and school. This Grand Round will summarise the consequences of this left shift in population level gestational age on child health and will aim to initiate a discussion.

Speaker:

Dr Siva Namachivayam is a paediatric intensive care specialist at the Royal Children’s Hospital and head of cardiac ICU research. His research has included the changing epidemiology and outcomes for children receiving intensive care over decades in Victoria, the effect of gestational age on the outcomes of congenital heart disease, acute kidney injury after cardiopulmonary bypass, and a large, randomised trial of early peritoneal dialysis to reduce low cardiac output syndrome following cardiac surgery. Siva has a Master of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.